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Archaeologists Find Grave of 'Zombie' That Ancients Wanted Buried Forever

A large stone was placed on the deceased's legs, probably to keep the man from returning to life.
Read full article on: newsweek.com
Trump seeking to fast-track challenge to gag order in his hush money trial
Former President Trump is seeking to fast-track a challenge to the constitutionality of the limited gag order imposed on him by the judge in his hush money trial.
abcnews.go.com
U.S. to empower asylum officials to reject more migrants earlier in process
The Biden administration is planning to announce a new regulation designed to allow immigration officials to deport migrants ineligible for U.S. asylum earlier in the process.
cbsnews.com
No hate crime charges filed against man who yelled racist slurs at Utah women's basketball team
A northern Idaho prosecutor won’t bring hate crime charges against an 18-year-old accused of shouting a racist slur at members of the Utah women’s basketball team while the team was in Idaho to attend the NCAA Tournament
abcnews.go.com
Thick atmosphere detected around planet twice as big as Earth
The so-called super Earth — known as 55 Cancri e — is among the few rocky planets outside our solar system with a significant atmosphere.
cbsnews.com
Cruise ship arrives in NYC with dead whale caught on its bow
The endangered sei whale was caught on the ship's bow when it arrived at the Port of Brooklyn, officials said.
cbsnews.com
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson has second-highest point total prop in NBA playoffs history for Game 2
Jalen Brunson is reaching historic levels of scoring dominance for the Knicks in the NBA playoffs.
nypost.com
MLB prop bets: Wednesday’s picks for Carlos Rodón, Chris Sale, Mariners
With a full slate of games in baseball Wednesday, we picked out our favorite props, including two strikeout bets to target.
nypost.com
Did Stormy Daniels' testimony help or hurt the case against Trump? It's complicated
The adult-film star's testimony in the New York hush money trial is legally peripheral but central to the drama the prosecution has been framing for the jury.
latimes.com
Trump Allegedly Wanted His Night With Stormy Daniels to Be a Threesome. This Is the Other Woman’s Story.
Alana Evans spoke with Stormy Daniels immediately after her encounter with Trump.
slate.com
Miss Israel Noa Cochva, an IDF solider, berated as ‘war criminal’ in NYC ‘social experiment’
An Israeli beauty queen who served as a frontline soldier was slammed as a “war criminal” in New York City while urging passersby to have “peaceful conversations” about Gaza.
nypost.com
Astros vs. Yankees prediction: MLB odds, picks, best bets for Wednesday
Ka-ching! I assume those silk-satin PJ’s that Stormy Daniels claimed Donald Trump was wearing will be selling on ebay any day now. … “The Boogeyman is coming!” The Knicks outpaced the Pacers in Game 1, but with their old nemesis Reggie Miller coming to work Game 2 this may be the perfect time to apply...
nypost.com
Yankees vs. Astros prediction: MLB picks, odds for Wednesday
The Yankees are barely keeping pace with the Orioles and looking for another solid start from lefty Carlos Rodon. 
nypost.com
‘Palm Royale’ Ending Explained: Ricky Martin Breaks Down That “Insane” Cliffhanger
Welcome to the Beach Ball, y'all!
nypost.com
Amanda Batula tells Kyle Cooke she wants to distance herself from Loverboy brand in tense ‘Summer House’ clip
“Think about all the sacrifices that I made for you," an emotional Batula tells Cooke in Page Six's exclusive preview. "I quit my job."
nypost.com
Husband wants the attention I give our baby. Hax readers give advice.
She works 60-plus-hour weeks, and her husband wants to know why their baby gets all her attention when she gets home.
washingtonpost.com
Stumped by 3-year-old’s killing, D.C. police hold prayer walk, increase reward
D.C.’s police chief, clergy members and others march in honor of 3-year-Ty’ah Settles, killed by a stray bullet last week in a homicide that remains unsolved.
washingtonpost.com
WATCH: Dem Senate candidate caught on video screaming at reporter over controversial police remark
Rep. David Trone, a Democrat congressman and candidate for Senate in Maryland, went off on a reporter during a heated exchange about a social media post concerning policing.
foxnews.com
Andy Cohen has ‘no regrets’ amid sexual harassment accusations
Andy Cohen says he has “no regrets about the way [he has] handled anything” as he faces sexual harassment accusations from former Real Housewives. The Bravo executive told the Hollywood Reporter that recent claims about his behavior have been “hurtful” and that “it’s no fun to be a target.” Andy, who couldn’t “talk about” the...
nypost.com
‘Squad’ Rep. Jamaal Bowman had secret YouTube page subscribed to channels that shared antisemitic, flat Earth and Illuminati conspiracy videos: report
"Squad" member Jamaal Bowman allegedly maintained a personal YouTube account that subscribed to users pushing outrageous conspiracy theories -- many with roots in antisemitism.
nypost.com
Andy Cohen addresses John Mayer dating rumors a year after saying they’re ‘in love’
Andy Cohen is addressing the rumors that he's dating John Mayer, as the two are often taking trips together. "Let then speculate!"
nypost.com
Q&A: David Simon isn't a starry-eyed dreamer, but he's all in on Hollywood
David Simon is so bullish on Hollywood he's building a new movie studio there from the ground up and renovating another one that dates to the days of silent films.
latimes.com
New Rules for Dogs Entering U.S. to Help Prevent Spread of Rabies
All dogs coming into the U.S. from other countries must be at least 6 months old and microchipped to help prevent the spread of rabies.
time.com
Jon Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea Hurley were high school sweethearts
Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea Hurley, give love anything but a bad name. The high school sweethearts have been married since 1989 and share four children. The longtime couple have kept their relationship out of the spotlight, but the Bon Jovi frontman made headlines in April 2024 when he admitted he has not “been...
nypost.com
Berkeley schools chief grilled by Congress on claims of rampant antisemitism in K-12 classrooms
Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel rejected accusations that Berkeley schools have tolerated pervasive antisemitism in classrooms, saying district leaders respond quickly to any alleged incidents of bias.
latimes.com
The 5 best paint brands of 2024, according to experts
These are best brands for giving your home a refresh.
nypost.com
Royal Caribbean recruiting up to 10K workers in 2024 to meet record cruise demand
The number of people taking cruises hit an all-time high in 2023, and with the surge in demand and larger vessels, labor needs are growing.
nypost.com
Arkansas cannot prevent 2 teachers from discussing critical race theory in classroom, judge rules
A federal judge has ruled Arkansas cannot prevent two high school teachers from discussing critical race theory in the classroom but is stopping short of a broader prohibition against the state's ban on teaching such subjects in the schools
abcnews.go.com
Boomer Esiason teases NFL and Netflix will ‘get in bed’ for Christmas Day games
The NFL could be giving signature games to a new streaming partner.
nypost.com
Sicko who trained vicious NYC pitbull using cats as bait charged with animal torture: cops
The 29-year-old Bronx thug who used live cats to train is pitbull "China" was charged with animal cruelty early Wednesday in connection to an unrelated incident, authorities said.
nypost.com
Steve Albini, Nirvana producer and alt-rock royalty, dies at 61
Steve Albini, the Chicago alt-rock producer who worked with some of the greatest American rock acts, has died, his studio confirmed.
washingtonpost.com
Car fire on Throgs Neck Bridge brings traffic to standstill
A car fire on the Throgs Neck Bridge shut down all lanes on the Bronx side of the span on Wednesday, according to reports.
nypost.com
Nikki Glaser hopes Gisele Bündchen forgives her for Tom Brady roast
Comedian Nikki Glaser has reacted to the news that Gisele Bündchen was not happy about all the jokes about her during Tom Brady's roast.
nypost.com
The 3 best paint sprayers of 2024, according to expert testing
Paint like a professional with these tools.
nypost.com
Trump Whines That His Gag Order Encourages ‘Sleazebags, Lowlifes, and Grifters’
WIN MCNAMEE/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesDonald Trump wants everyone to know that he thinks it’s deeply unfair that a gag order is preventing him from making incendiary comments attacking witnesses, jurors, and court staff in his ongoing hush money trial.The former president took to Truth Social on Wednesday to lament the gag order, which he violated earlier this week resulting in a $1000 fine from Judge Juan Merchan, the 10th such infraction Trump has had to pay for since the trial began.“It is a really bad feeling to have your Constitutional Right to Free Speech, such a big part of life in our Country, so unfairly taken from you, especially when all of the sleazebags, lowlifes, and grifters that you oppose are allowed to say absolutely anything that they want,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.Read more at The Daily Beast.
thedailybeast.com
Music Midtown, popular Atlanta music festival, canceled this year
A music festival that draws tens of thousands of people to Atlanta’s Piedmont Park will not take place this year
abcnews.go.com
“Climate-friendly” beef could land in a meat aisle near you. Don’t fall for it.
Beef cattle stand in a barn at a feedlot in Illinois, on April 5, 2011. | Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images Tyson Foods and the federal government refuse to show their math for a new sustainability label. One species accounts for around 10 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions: the cow. Every few months, like clockwork, environmental scientists publish a new report on how we can’t limit planetary warming if people in rich countries don’t eat fewer cows and other animals. But meat giant Tyson Foods, in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has a different solution: “climate-friendly” beef. Tyson claims that its “Climate-Smart Beef” program, launched last year and supported with taxpayer dollars, has managed to cut 10 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions from a tiny fraction of its cattle herd. Those cattle are then slaughtered and sold under the company’s Brazen Beef brand with a USDA-approved “climate-friendly” label, which is now for sale in limited quantities but could soon land in your local supermarket’s meat aisle. It sounds nice — Americans could continue to eat nearly 60 pounds of beef annually while the world burns. But it’s just the latest salvo in the meat industry’s escalating war against climate science, and its campaign to greenwash its way out of the fight for a livable planet. Show me the math Tyson’s climate-friendly beef website is full of earnest marketing phrases like this one: “If we’re showing up for the climate, then we’ve got to show our work.” Yet that “work” is nowhere to be found. Despite requests for transparency from scientists and dogged journalists, Tyson and the USDA haven’t opened up their emissions ledgers, so the program remains a black box. Tyson and consulting firm Deloitte, which worked on Tyson’s program, both declined interview requests for this story. Where Food Comes From, a private company that audits food labels for animal welfare, safety, and sustainability claims — including Tyson’s “climate-friendly” label — did not respond to an interview request. Last year, when I asked to see Tyson’s environmental accounting model, the USDA said I’d need to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The nonprofit organization Environmental Working Group did that — but all 106 pages of the documents it received were heavily redacted to, as the USDA put it, protect “trade secrets.” Tyson’s sole known supplier for Brazen Beef, Adams Land & Cattle Co., is a sprawling cattle feedlot operation in Nebraska. Google Maps/Environmental Working Group An aerial shot of Nebraska-based Adams Land & Cattle Co., Tyson’s sole supplier of its Brazen Beef line. “I’m not surprised, but I’m concerned,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group. “Where’s the evidence? Where are the receipts?” “If [Tyson’s] Brazen Beef could carry this claim,” Faber added, then “what’s to stop other companies from making similar claims based on science and other data that’s simply unavailable to all of us?” The USDA didn’t respond to a request for comment about the FOIA documents. Tyson also worked with environmental nonprofit juggernauts The Nature Conservancy and Environmental Defense Fund to develop its Climate-Smart Beef program, which the company touts on its website and in advertisements. Environmental Defense Fund said in an email that it integrated its nitrogen emissions model into Tyson’s environmental accounting, while The Nature Conservancy noted that it reviewed and provided recommendations on data used in Tyson’s model but wasn’t otherwise involved in its Climate-Smart Beef program. Both organizations declined an interview request for this story when it was first published last year. Earlier this year, during interviews for a related story, both groups said companies need to be transparent about their climate goals but stood by their collaboration with Tyson Foods. What makes beef climate-friendly, according to Tyson Foods So what exactly does Tyson say its ranchers and farmers are doing to achieve a 10 percent emissions reduction? We can look to their website to get a vague sense, but it helps to first understand how cattle pollute the planet. The 1.5 billion cows farmed worldwide for cheeseburgers and ice cream sundaes each year accelerate climate change in three main ways: they eat grass and/or grain, like corn and soy, causing them to burp out the highly potent greenhouse gas methane; they poop a lot, which releases the even more potent nitrous oxide, as does the synthetic fertilizer used to grow the grain they’re fed; and they take up a lot of land — a quarter of the planet is occupied by grazing livestock, some of which could be used to absorb carbon from the atmosphere if it weren’t deforested for meat production. Raphael Alves/Washington Post via Getty Images Cattle are seen along deforested land on highway BR-319, in the rural city of Humaita in Brazil. Cattle ranching is the leading cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. To achieve a 10 percent emissions reduction, Tyson’s website mentions that grain farmers who supply feed to its cows employ practices like planting cover crops and reduced tillage, which are good for soil health but haven’t been proven to cut emissions. There’s also mention of “nutrient management,” which usually means reducing fertilizer over-application, but no details on emissions savings are provided. Among other practices, Tyson also lists “pasture rotation,” which entails moving cattle around more frequently with the goal of allowing grass to regrow, which can provide a number of environmental benefits, but many climate scientists are skeptical it can meaningfully reduce emissions. Matthew Hayek, an assistant professor of environmental studies at New York University who’s written about Tyson’s climate-friendly beef label, told me the methods Tyson is talking about are admirable, but that doesn’t mean the 10 percent reduction claim is justified. Some practices may be good for land stewardship but don’t reduce emissions. For those that can reduce emissions, savings will be marginal. “These are razor-thin distinctions in a country that already produces meat incredibly efficiently, and our tools are not cut out [to measure] these thin margins,” Hayek said. “You can’t call that [climate-friendly], in any good conscience.” And because emissions from US cattle operations vary widely, “There’s simply no reliable way to estimate a change in greenhouse gas emissions as small as 10 percent on any one farm — let alone a complex network of them,” Hayek and political economist Jan Dutkiewicz wrote in the New Republic last September. Tyson’s claims are brazen but unsurprising given how the USDA collaborates with industry. When it comes to animal welfare claims on meat packages, for example, the USDA more or less allows meat producers to operate on an honor system. Just as important as showing its math is knowing where the starting line for emissions reduction begins. Tyson says it has reduced the carbon footprint of some of its beef by 10 percent, but 10 percent relative to what? What’s the benchmark? Nobody knows. A 2019 study by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association found that the average American steer emits 21.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions per kilogram of carcass weight. But in 2021, the USDA approved a low-carbon beef program (unrelated to Tyson) that uses a benchmark nearly 25 percent higher than the 2019 study, as noted by Wired last year. In September, when asked what benchmark the USDA uses to approve a 10 percent emissions reduction claim, the agency again said I would need to file a FOIA request. In the document it sent to Environmental Working Group, the portion on benchmarks was redacted. But even if we give Tyson and the USDA the benefit of the doubt, there’s a stubborn truth about beef: It’s so high in emissions that it can never really be “climate-friendly.” Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images Beef cattle at the Texana Feeders feedlot in Floresville, Texas. To be sure, the US beef industry has reduced its emissions over the years, and it’s much lower than most countries. But relative to every other food product, beef remains the coal of the food sector. “Beef is always going to be and always will be the worst [food] choice for the climate,” said Faber of Environmental Working Group, which has also petitioned the USDA to prohibit “climate-friendly” claims on beef products altogether. “And no amount of wishful thinking is going to change that.” What Tyson’s done here is equivalent to making a Hummer 10 percent more fuel-efficient and calling it climate-friendly — it’s greenwashing, and surveys show that most consumers know far too little about food and climate change to navigate this brave new world of so-called “climate-friendly” meat. Consumers will be deceived by “climate-friendly” meat claims Meat and dairy production account for 15 to 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and leading environmental scientists say we must drastically reduce livestock emissions and eat more plant-based meals. That message, however, hasn’t broken through to the general public, nor to policymakers. In an online survey conducted last year in partnership with market research consultancy firm Humantel, Vox polled consumers about which parts of the food sector they think contribute most to climate change. Meat and dairy production came in dead last, even though it’s the top contributor in the list. In another question, “what we eat” was (incorrectly) ranked as a smaller contributor to extreme weather than refrigerant chemicals, single-use plastics, and air travel. Most respondents did rank plant-based meat alternatives as more climate-friendly than beef by a decent margin. However, plant-based meat and grass-fed beef were almost tied, even though plant-based meat has a drastically smaller carbon footprint (and grass-fed beef is generally worse for the climate than conventional beef). Other surveys have found similar results, demonstrating Americans’ limited understanding of emissions from the food system. Throw “climate-friendly” beef into the mix and consumers are sure to be misled and possibly persuaded that beef can indeed be good for the climate. However, meat companies could face legal consequences over misleading environmental claims. Earlier this year, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued JBS, the world’s largest meat company, over its claim that it will achieve net zero emissions by 2040. James argued that such a goal was unsubstantiated and unachievable. Cashing in on consumers’ desire to shop more sustainably — and their misunderstanding of what actually makes food sustainable — could lead to more of what Tyson wants: increased beef consumption after decades of decline and stagnation. That would be a disaster for the climate at a time when the window to act is closing. The USDA and government agencies around the world know what must be done to slash food emissions. Now they just need to follow the science, resist industry greenwashing, and cut back on the burgers. Update, May 8, 2024, 2:40 pm: This story, originally published September 8, 2023, has been updated to include documents obtained by Environmental Working Group through a Freedom of Information Act request. A version of this story was initially published in the Future Perfect newsletter. Sign up here to subscribe!
vox.com
Do campus protests show Americans' support for Palestinians has reached a turning point?
Gaza protests across the U.S. are showing unprecedented support for Palestinians, and demanding accountability like never before.
latimes.com
Doja Cat’s Met Gala towel dress recreated by Ikea in playful ad: ‘Brilliant’
Doja Cat's Met Gala couture is getting some extra "Attention" from an unlikely fan.
nypost.com
Travis Kelce joins upcoming horror TV series "Grotesquerie"
"Grotesquerie" star Niecy Nash took to social media to show off her new co-worker, Travis Kelce, on the new horror-drama TV series by "American Horror Story" creator Ryan Murphy.
cbsnews.com
RFK Jr. says he suffered from a parasitic brain worm and mercury poisoning
Kennedy campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear said in a statement that "the issue was resolved more than 10 years ago, and he is in robust physical and mental health."
cbsnews.com
You May Have a Brain Worm Like RFK JR. and Not Even Know it
Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty/ReutersUnapologetic conspiracy theorist and out-and-proud anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long been accused by clearer heads of having “brain worms.”On Wednesday, it emerged that an actual worm allegedly once set up shop in the longshot presidential candidate’s brain.“[A] worm… got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died,” Kennedy, 70, said during a 2012 deposition reviewed by The New York Times, which first published details of the previously unrevealed parasitic infection.Read more at The Daily Beast.
thedailybeast.com
Chris Pine does triple duty as 'Poolman'
Pine writes, directs and stars in the movie about a poolman out to make Los Angeles a better place in his own particular way. Rick Damigella reports.
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edition.cnn.com
Drake and Kendrick Lamar don’t care about misogyny
Drake and Kendrick Lamar performing onstage. | Prince Williams/Wireimage, C Flanigan/Getty Images The rappers accused one another of abusing women, but weaponizing Me Too isn’t the same as standing up for women. The first weekend of May was the ultimate gift to rap fans. After more than a month of subliminal barbs and third-party interference, Drake and Kendrick Lamar went back-to-back with heavyweight diss tracks. Over the course of 72 hours, they created an amount of mayhem that hasn’t been seen in hip-hop since Drake was last accused of hiding a child. (There’s allegedly another one, per Lamar on “Meet The Grahams.”) As of May 8, it seems like the bulk of this rap war has already been fought. On May 4, Lamar delivered what seemed like a knockout blow with the catchy, DJ Mustard-produced diss track “Not Like Us.” Since then, videos of the song being enjoyed by club-goers — while Drake’s music has been booed — have gone viral. By the time Drake released “The Heart Part 6” on Sunday, a notably limp voice note of a track brushing off Lamar’s diss, the world had already chosen a victor. This weeks-long debacle has many layers, but Drake and Lamar’s choice of ammunition is arguably the most striking part. On his three-act diss “Family Matters,” Drake made bombshell claims that Lamar is a domestic abuser. Meanwhile, Lamar uses the years-long rumors surrounding Drake’s alleged relationships with underage girls as a cudgel on “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us.” The rappers each accused the other of misogyny, attempting to weaponize a post-Me Too culture against one another. As is the out-of-pocket nature of rap beef, both callouts were shocking. Still, it’s hard to completely revel in this moment with such serious claims floating around. In both cases, we’re looking at weighty allegations, and dropping them in a diss track seemed clunky and insensitive. Is this truly an exciting moment in hip-hop when it comes at the expense of women? Or are fans just enabling a disturbing status quo within the genre? Drake and Lamar calling out each other’s misogyny isn’t noble. It’s hypocritical. Kevin Winter/Getty Images Drake at the premiere of HBO’s Euphoria at the Cinerama Dome on June 4, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. While social media users are mostly enjoying the drama playing out between Drake and Lamar, others have pointed out the glaring hypocrisy in hearing two men — both of whom have demonstrated sexist attitudes in their music and supported abusers in the industry — attempt to expose each other’s mistreatment of women. Knowing that this is all an effort to win the internet’s favor makes these claims feel even more shallow. On his first diss track, “Euphoria,” Lamar comes out swinging by questioning Drake’s combative relationships with women, flat-out stating that he “doesn’t believe [he] likes” them. It’s hard to disagree with the general sentiment that Drake might be a misogynist, as it’s become harder to dispute — or more accurately, ignore — in recent years. In addition to his unprompted jabs at Rihanna and Megan Thee Stallion, his raps have gradually become the stuff of incel subreddits. His once-endearing loverboy persona has regressed to that of a petulant, scorned teenager. But listening more closely, the delivery of Kendrick’s accusation is ... well, a little misogynist itself. There’s a tinge of homophobia to this bar, including saying Drake can “pop ass” with women and sees them as competition, explicitly comparing him to glasses-wearing rapper Sexxy Redd. That said, this characterization of Drake as an “Instagram baddie” who’s gotten plastic surgery — Lamar even references those BBL rumors, at one point — has become its own meme in recent years. From the mouth of an ardently Christian straight guy in the middle of a vicious feud, it doesn’t have the same light-heartedness. It has certainly benefited Lamar that Drake’s transgressions against women have generated more public backlash and is fresher in listeners’ minds. That’s maybe why fans generally seem less curious about the domestic abuse claims Drake makes on “Family Matters” against Lamar. To be fair, Drake goes about dropping these accusations in a frivolous way, which undermines any supposed concern on his end. In one line, he couples this allegation with a joke about Lamar’s short height. He uses the song to tout a rumor that Lamar’s fianceé Whitney Alford birthed a child outside of their relationship, suggesting these claims have equal weight. On Lamar’s back-to-back responses, “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us,” he unleashes the darker intel he teases about Drake in his earlier diss tracks, mainly the accusation that Drake sleeps with underage girls. On “Meet the Grahams,” he calls Drake a “sick man,” suggesting that “him and Weinstein should get fucked up in cell for the rest of their lives.” On “Not Like Us,” he’s a bit more direct, calling Drake a “certified pedophile.” There’s also the triple entendre, “tryna strike a chord, and it’s A-minor,” that’s become a standout bar from this feud. Nevertheless, it’s an uncomfortable subject matter to hear over an up-tempo, West Coast rap beat. Drake, in his last rejoinder “The Heart Part 6,” weakly defends himself against these deadly serious accusations, but none of it feels deeply considered. He hits back against sexual assault claims by saying he “would’ve been arrested” if they were true. (Out of every 1,000 reported rapes, only 50 will lead to an arrest or conviction, according to the National Organization for Women NYC.) He also adds that he is “way too famous for the shit [Lamar] suggested,” as though the Me Too movement wasn’t devoted to exposing famous, powerful men for such offenses. He also goes out of his way to deny years-old rumors of an inappropriate relationship between him and Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown when she was a teenager. Despite Lamar not even mentioning her, he forced her name into part of a public, complicated tiff. Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images Kendrick Lamar at Life Is Beautiful 2023 on September 23, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Lamar’s tracks, he does a better job of at least articulating the severity of misogyny and the systematic ways abusers are protected by powerful men in the industry. Undermining these sentiments, however, is his failure to explore such matters in his previous music, where he frequently addresses social inequality from the limited perspective of straight, cis Black men. There were also some controversial moments on his most recent album, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. The track “Silent Hill” features rapper Kodak Black, who took a plea deal in 2021 for an alleged sexual assault case and pleaded guilty to a lesser battery charge. Lamar was also accused of transmisogyny by some members of the LGBTQ+ community for the song “Auntie Diaries,” where he misgenders his uncle while grappling with his uncle’s trans identity. These diss tracks don’t display a concern about misogyny, but they acknowledge a cultural shift By all evidence, it seems like Drake and Lamar were relying on the power of what problematic men would inadequately label “cancel culture” to handle their issues with each other. Nor does it feel like Lamar’s main gripe with Drake is whatever seedy behavior he’s allegedly partaking in behind the scenes. Lamar overall just seems irritated by who Drake is, seeing him as a fraud — a biracial, Canadian child actor with no street cred who’s unjustly become the face of modern hip-hop while cosplaying different parts of Black American culture. Lamar’s mention of Harvey Weinstein on “Meet the Grahams” was a timely reminder that the Me Too movement never really took hold in the hip-hop and R&B world the way it did (however momentarily) in Hollywood. While R. Kelly became the poster boy for abusive behavior, rappers such as Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert, and XXXTenacion, as well as R&B stars like Trey Songz and Chris Brown, continued to rack up allegations of gendered violence while scoring No. 1 hits and maintaining support from their colleagues. Following a series of lawsuits against Diddy— and now a federal investigation of sex-trafficking claims — however, the rap world has become starkly aware of the ways these behaviors can catch up to even the most powerful human beings. While a legal outcome has yet to be determined, the idea that Diddy, who has charmed his way out of decades of unsavory rumors while building a billion-dollar empire, would ever be confronted with consequences seemed unlikely. But his reckoning, along with Tory Lanez’s conviction in 2022, has signaled the beginning of some sort of sea change — or at least disrupted the notion that men get away with everything, even if they get away with most things. Drake’s and Lamar’s claims of misogyny feel entirely born out of convenience, with seemingly no regard for the women they’ve pulled into the crossfire. It wouldn’t be the first time women have become casualties of rappers’ feuding, but it should be the last.
1 h
vox.com
Opinion: Trump’s Lawyers Bullying Stormy Daniels Is a Risky Strategy
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Jane Rosenberg/ReutersThe Trump defense team is expected to continue its cross-examination of actress and director Stormy Daniels. If their cross so far is any predictor, their approach seems to be a performance for their client, former President Donald Trump.Susan Necheles—the only female lead attorney on the team—is tasked with what should have been the delicate task of cross-examining Daniels, who is the centerpiece of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s election interference case narrative, because she explains why Trump was motivated to hide their interaction.The cross-examination needed to be delicate, because Daniels was likely to be viewed sympathetically by the jury based on her public demeanor and how she has come across in public appearances, including interviews. Indeed, it’s clear how worried the Trump defense team is about her likeability because they based a whole meritless motion to dismiss the case upon the mere release of a documentary film. Read more at The Daily Beast.
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thedailybeast.com
Historic ship delivers Olympic flame to France for the Summer Games
The Olympic flame arrived in France aboard a 19th century tall ship to kick off a 7,500-mile journey to the Paris Summer Games.
1 h
cbsnews.com
Dogs entering US must be 6 months old, microchipped, new rules say
New U.S. rules require all dogs coming into the U.S. to be at least 6 months old and microchipped to help prevent the spread of rabies
1 h
abcnews.go.com
GM to stop making iconic Chevy Malibu after 60 years as it shifts to EVs
The Malibu is the last remaining Chevrolet car offered in the United States besides the Corvette. GM ended production of the Chevrolet Camaro late last year.
1 h
nypost.com
'In the crosshairs': Massive number of migrants from this foreign adversary are illegally entering US
Over 1,000 Chinese nationals were encountered at the southern border last week, a source told Fox News on Wednesday – fueling concerns about a massive surge.
1 h
foxnews.com